MUST-READS

• MBC Group
  MBC Group to set up new headquarters in Riyadh

  MBC Group, the largest broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa, signed an agreement to set up new headquarters in Riyadh and will begin operations from Saudi Arabia’s capital within five years. The new headquarters will be based at Riyadh’s Media City project.

• Iraq
  Iraqi officials say Baghdad wants to minimize reliance on US military in fight against Islamic State

  The Iraqi government has told its military not to seek assistance from the U.S.-led coalition in operations against the Islamic State group, two senior Iraqi military officials said, amid a crisis of mistrust between Washington and Baghdad after an American strike killed a top Iranian general and an Iraqi militia commander.

• Iran
  Commentary: Where is the Iranian opposition?

  Despite waves of protest within Iran, the country still lacks an organized opposition movement. In an interview with DW, Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi said that no present movement poses a threat to the regime.

• Israel in the Region
  Israel ‘hits Iran-backed fighters near Damascus’

  Israeli warplanes have fired missiles at targets near Syria's capital, Damascus, Syrian state media report. The Sana news agency said air defences intercepted most of the missiles, but that eight people were wounded. A monitoring group said Syrian army positions and those of Iran-backed militias were hit, killing 12 fighters.

• Afghanistan
  US citizen abducted in Afghanistan

  A US citizen working as a contractor was kidnapped in the Khost Province in eastern Afghanistan in recent days, a US official confirmed to CNN. It is not known who the abductors are at this time.

• Libya
  Russia, South Africa Object to Draft UN Resolution on Libya

  A U.N. resolution that would endorse a plan to restore peace to Libya and condemn the recent increase in violence faced opposition Wednesday from Russia and South Africa. The two countries raised objections to the British-drafted Security Council resolution, which backs the 55-point road map to end the war in Libya that was approved by leaders of 12 world powers and other key countries in Berlin on Jan. 19.

• Yemen
  Eight civilians dead, others missing in Houthi missile attack in Yemen’s Marib: minister

  The Information minister in the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia, Muammar Al-Iryani tweeted on Wednesday that four women and four children died while others went missing in a Houthi ballistic missile attack over the populated district of Rawda in Marib. Iran-aligned Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.

• Russia in the Region
  U.S. steps up warnings on Russia over Syria’s Idlib, military de-confliction

  The United States on Wednesday stepped up warnings to Russia over its Syria policy, saying Moscow was trying to challenge the U.S. presence in northeastern Syria by violating the terms of a de-confliction agreement and was also helping escalate the fighting in the northwestern province of Idlib.

  • WSJ (Paywall) - U.S. Troops in Standoffs With Russian Military Contractors in Syria
• U.S.-Saudi Relations
  Pompeo to visit Oman and Saudi Arabia this month

  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Oman and Saudi Arabia this month, as part of a broader diplomatic trip that will begin next Thursday. Mr Pompeo will stop in Riyadh from February 19 to 21 to discuss regional and bilateral issues including Iran, Yemen and human rights with the Saudi leadership, the State Department said on Wednesday.

• China Virus
  WHO seeks $675M to fight new virus

  The director-general of the World Health Organization has asked for $675 million to help countries address the expected spread of the new virus that emerged in China. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged that the sum is a lot, but says it is “much less than the bill we will face if we do not invest in preparedness now.”

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